


That's A Side-Effect We Hadn't Foreseen

by skeevyskeeve



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: M/M, Masturbation, Poor Hermann, Vivid imagination, awkward conversation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2013-12-24
Packaged: 2018-01-05 04:41:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1089729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skeevyskeeve/pseuds/skeevyskeeve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Only the veteran Jaeger pilots really know what happens after a drift, but even then, results may vary. Hermann and Newton weren't expecting this sort of effect at all, and therefore, have to figure out how to deal with it. Newton has a couple ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Be Careful What You Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Ended up handwriting this one yesterday while we were without electricity. Just means I actually proof-read it when typing it up. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Oh, also. The title and summary make a little more sense for the third and fourth chapters rather then the first two!;

“Oh fuck, right th— _ah!_ ” Newton's voice was in his ear, heated and needy and broken apart in gasps. He was spread across sheets under him, skin flush and barely able to keep his eyes open. Hermann had to admit it was taking a great deal of will power to keep his own open to soak the image in. One of his hands tightly gripped the sheets next to his lover's head, the limb shaking in effort to hold himself up as the other roamed over whatever of his lover he could reach: jaw, neck, shoulder, and chest where he scraped raised lines onto the other's tattoo-covered, but still admirably soft skin.

“F-Fuck! Hermann, please! I'm ssss...so close!” Heaving breaths, lewd skin-smacking sounds with each jerk of his own hips and loud moans from both parties echoed off the walls. They were both fairly sure the rest of the Shatterdome could hear them by now but from each of their smirks, it was clear that neither seemed to care as they edged ever closer.  
  
“M-Mien gott...just...just do it, Newton...Cum for me....” Hermann would urge in a rough groan, forehead rested on Newt's own, half-lidded eyes locked on those shocking green that struggled to even flutter open anymore. He shifted to firmly wrap the long fingers of his free hand around his lover's dick, stroking in a dreadfully sporadic rhythm that readily contradicted the desperate thrusting of his hips. “Newt...come for me,” he repeated, his tone lower, harsher and far more demanding which drew a needy whimper from the other's all too dry lips.

“H-Hermann!”

The mathematician woke with a start, eyes wide as he stared up at the ceiling in his private barracks. His heart was pounding in his ears and he could feel a bead of sweating slide down across his temple as it fell from his forehead, the raw heat from his dream still pulsing through his veins.

“You've got to be kidding me,” he whispered to himself as he wiped the back of his hand across his damp forehead, eyes tightly closed. He could feel the wet spot on his hip, and what had soaked into his sleep pants and could only feel flustered and ashamed with his subconscious for coming up with such a vivid image. He'd never readily admit that he'd had wet dreams about his colleague before but they had never been so graphic or detailed. It never felt like they'd actually been happening before he and Newt's shared drift, and he could only blame that connection for the new found intensity.

Of course, Newton could never, and certainly _would_ never hear about the dreams. He'd never know how hot it was under that wool blanket, and he'd never know that his colleague's shaking hands hastily shoved it down from his torso, leaving it about his ankles as he rolled over to kneel on the cot. Newt would never find out that he then quickly gave his sleep pants the same rough treatment or that he wrapped his long, musician-esque fingers around his own dick, there in the darkness. He'd be blissfully unaware that, as his colleague proceeded to brace his free hand in the thin sheet, he let himself recall that vivid imagery; let himself imagine it really happening.

Newt was there, under him again, mewling and groaning for him in a desperation for release that they shared. It wasn't his firm grip around himself anymore, but instead the other's tight ass. That short manic's legs were tightly around his waist, urging his hips faster, one arm slung up under his own to curl up to aimlessly grip the nape of his neck while the dull nails of the other scared lines across the small of his back.

“N-Newton...” he groaned quietly into the silence that betrayed his projected fantasy. As his his hips jerked forward, his hand pumped his dick in just a way that imitated the way he felt Newt's hips would grind back. Their paces didn't match, and only grew further from being in time as they went, but he could feel his lover there, accepting his length and rhythm just as he accepts the erratic resistance.

“Hermannnn...” he could hear his lover whine, but not disapprovingly. His tone begged for more, begged for climax and the mathematician could only grin.

“Beg for it, Newt,” he'd breathe right in the other's ear if he'd really been there, slowing his hips to a teasing grind while his hand kept the desperate, but still uneven urging that he knew the other scientist would. “Beg me for... what you want... we both know... how well th-that mouth of yours works...” He could feel his own building quickly from just how well he was teasing himself, but he wouldn't cum before Newton, even if it was just his imagination.

“O-oh fuck,” Newt started, teeth firm into that plump lower lip of his. “Gott, you're...an _asshole_...p-... fuck! _Please_ , Hermann!” he tried but the other wasn't having it. His hand moved faster to mimic how Newt's hips would attempt, but his own simply stalled more, easing his dick all the way out before pressing back in.

“Please, _what?_ ” he could be cruel sometimes, couldn't he? But that helpless, red face of his lover was just too cute to let slip away. Newt was whimpering with each of his quick breaths now, looking for all the world like he wanted to continue to resist but he was far too close to the edge for that anymore.

“Please _fuck_ me!” he groaned all too loudly which would make his point, but definitely would test Hermann's self control. He snapped his hips forward roughly, drawing a happily surprised gasp from the man below him, but he didn't let the pace pick back up yet. Newton groaned, normal volume again but he still held a breath of desperation. “P-Please,” his dry throat swallowed roughly for moisture but the attempt was futile. “Hermann, please, oh god, please. I'm so f-fucking close,” he arched up at the words, forcing the other's dick just a few more centimeters inside him. “Please fuck me.. _hard_. I need..I need to cum, _please!_ ” he rattled off, hardly existent nails clawing desperately all over his lover's back.

“Fuck,” Hermann hissed into the darkness, a shiver jolting down his spine at what he knew Newt would actually say. The truth behind his imaginary lover's voice just made it that much worse on him. “Cum for me, Newt,” he whispered at his abandoned pillow, letting his hips resume motion, quick for his lover, but messy from his need and the ache he could feel starting in his leg.

Imaginary or not, he didn't have to tell Newton twice. The man under him tensed up, a string of expletives in both English and German flooding passed his lips as both his legs and arms tightly arrested his movement. Hermann's back fought to arch, a gasp forcing itself into his lungs as his fingers effortlessly imitated the natural muscle spasms around his dick that he knew would greet him without fail if he'd really been balls deep in his lab partner.

“My... _god_...Newt,” pushed passed his lips, more like grunts than actual words as the pulsing actions around himself milked his own climax from him whether he was prepared for it or not. He bit his lip, eyes tightly closed as he enjoyed the waves of pleasure his body fought through before he fell onto his side, carefully away from the mess he'd just made on his cot. He struggled to catch his breath as he stretched out his pained leg, basking in the thought of a blissed out Newton laying beside him before the image faded away completely.

He was left, then, in the silence and darkness of his barracks, glow from his activities but alone, which would always have a great affect. He sighed and tucked himself back into his sleep pants before forcing himself up and of the cot with a grunt of effort. He limped to fetch a towel from his small, make-shift hamper, wiping his hand clean before neatly folding it and laying it across the wet spot dead center on his bed. He'd change the thin sheet tomorrow. 

“How depressing can one _get_ ,” he quietly, exhaustedly, scolded himself as he laid back down, tugging his wool blanket back over himself with a huff. The silence rang in his ears then, as he stared up at the ceiling now, his hand coming up to his forehead.  
  
“What are you doing, Hermann?” he sighed, his eyes fluttered closed. “Imagining _him_...you have a _wife!_ ” he growled half-heartedly; he knew full-well that wasn't the point here. He and Vanessa had long since considered their relationship an open on. The problem was that Newton certainly didn't think of him the same way. That inclination was never present before and even in the drift space there wasn't clear attracted feelings between them...

“This whole business is utter nonsense,” he told himself as he rolled over, scowling at the wall as he resigned himself to the lonely sleep that follows such an evening.


	2. Meanwhile...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unbeknownst to Hermann, in the next room over, Newton is quite the time of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took longer than I'd hoped to write because I have no confidence in my skills of writing from Newton's perspective. I'm really not a Newt, so I ended up asking for character help from kai-face, my roommate and platonic life partner, so here's hoping it turned out alright. Please enjoy!
> 
> PS. This is basically exactly the same as the first chapter but from Newt's POV. You could ever-so technically skip it and be fine, but Newt does have some moments that are worth reading.

“Oh fuck, right th—ah!” Newton jolted with one particularly hard thrust from his lover that was angled just right. How Hermann always managed to find that one spot was beyond him, but he wasn't about to complain—even as the tip of the other's dick was now repeatedly rubbing on that overly sensitive gland. His eyes fought to stay open, wanting to admire the thinner man above him but the way he was so easily tortured almost completely prevented that. He wanted to ramble on about how good Hermann was, how perfect each of those strokes were, or maybe even ask him how the hell he could do that. How was he so good at this? Hermann couldn't have had that many partners, right? Not that he was vain enough to think he was the mathematician's only male partner, but...come on, now...he was way too good. As the other clawed down his chest, his attention snapped back to the activities, face flushing impossibly darker as he realized he'd been that lost in thought.  
  
“F-Fuck!” he knew he arched into the scratches, loving the pleasing pain and the fact that Hermann seemed to know that it was the right thing to do for him in that moment. “Hermann, please! I'm ssss...” How embarrassing was it to get caught on a word like that? But hey, Hermann was still scratching him and wow, it felt way too good. “...so close!” he moaned out loudly, breath pushing out in pants as he wondered how many people were walking in the hall then, loving the idea that they may very well hear them. He wondered if his lab partner realized that? Did he even care? If he did, it apparently wasn't all that much because he was speaking then, even through his well timed thrusts into him.

“M-Mein gott...” Oh wow, Hermann needed to not moan in German. That was just...totally unfair, actually. “Just...” he hung on every word the other groaned at him, heart racing and pounding in his ears as he fought to breathe at all, let alone properly. Hermann could probably just stop moving all together and just talk at him and he could get off on it, and that was kind of annoying. Though, if he actually stopped right then, that would definitely be more annoying. “Just do it, Newton...” Oh god, saying his name was even more unfair! “Cum for me...” A shiver ran down his spine. It was weird to hear Hermann say something so lewd, but it was amazing; even more amazing that he could actually get him to a point where he willingly said something like that.

If that wasn't enough, though, his lover was staring at him, eye-to-eye to keep them connected and whoa that was really intense and...kinda embarrassing. He wanted to keep looking him in the eye, but his eyes still refused to stay open, and he really didn't think he had it in him to keep eye contact with anyone that long, let alone Hermann. At least he was given an excuse to close his eyes as his lover wrapped his hand around his cock and stroked him. He didn't care that it was off timed with the others thrusts, or that he could only whimper in response, it felt fucking good.

“Newt...cum for me.” Oh god, he'd even called him Newt! He gripped the sheets and whimpered louder, needing more. More of Hermann talking to him, more touching him, more closeness, more everything.

“H-Hermann!”

Newton sat upright in his cot, breathing hard with eyes barely wider than usual, a slow grin creeping onto his face as his sleep logged brain registered when had just happened. He let out a short laugh, forcing one of his hands out of the sheets they had clamped onto in order to run it through his sweat-dampened hair.   
  
“Whoa-ho-ho...” he chuckled as his hand reached the back of his neck and he shook his head. It had been a long time since he'd had a dream so vivid that he'd soaked his boxers this bad but those kinda dreams were always the best, weren't they? Hot and sticky and you could practically hear the moans in the room with you, even after you woke up! If he were honest, it had been a little bit since he had dreamt of Herms that way, but it was far from the first dream of this...er, strength, he supposed. Once he got over the initial shock value, though, the scientist flopped back onto the bed, kicking his legs a bit wildly to get the blanket off of them as he stuck his hand into his boxers.   
  
“Come on, baby, don't leave just yet,” he said to the fading memory of the dream, but once he relaxed back into his pillow and let his eyes close again, Hermann was there again. His grumpy lab partner was on top of him, between the legs that he spread as wide as his hips would let him. His right hand moved passed both his dick and his balls in order to push two of his fingers into himself without a hint of preparation. It stretched a bit, sure, but it wasn't anything painful due to his past experiences, and how he usually played with himself. He let out a quiet purr of delight as he settled easily into the pleasure that his body was still throbbing for.   
  
He blamed his imagination entirely for it, but he swore he could literally feel Hermann on top of him. He thought of his legs up and around the other's waist and just how he'd wrap his arms around him to keep him as close as he could as they went. He wanted to moan out, to be loud and filthy, but he felt like Hermann wouldn't be the kind of guy to really appreciate that kind of thing. Quiet sneaky fuck in the dead of night, probably, so that no one in the Shatterdome would hear, right? He'd refrain from over-doing it on the noises for now.   
  
“N-Newton...” would make him grin again. He just couldn't get enough of Herms saying his name like that. It'd be better if he was calling him 'Newt', for sure, but, you know, baby steps. He licked his lips as he stuck his fingers deeper into himself to mimic how he hoped his lab partner would continue. It wasn't enough, though. He wanted more. Faster thrusts, deeper thrusts, but also more touching. He wanted his hands all over Hermann so he could memorize his body in case the other never let him see it again. He wanted to show the other just how much he appreciated all the attention he was giving him. Of course, he couldn't outright say that, though, because that'd be mighty embarrassing, so he settled for a quiet whine.

“Hermannnn...” he would try to urge him on, squeezing his legs just a bit tighter around his waist in encouragement, but not demand. He knew he didn't want to whine too much, either, just in case that sort of thing annoyed the other—since everything seemed to most days—because the last thing in the world he wanted him to do was stop. Well, he'd stop if Herms really wanted to because consent was totally an awesome thing to have, but he'd be lying if he said it would be easy to do. But then the man on top of him was leaning down, holding his face next to his own and....and grinning and wow, that was really hot and mildly terrifying at the same time.   
  
“Beg for it, Newt,” he could feel the other's breath on his ear and his neck and the other was slowing his hips down to a crawl and holy shit, that was so unfair. He couldn't even say anything to that—like, what could you even say? He could only whimper pathetically in response as his whole body seemed to shake, and then Hermann was talking again. “Beg me for...what you want...” Holy shit, holy shit, not fair! He could feel his breath stutter out of his lungs unevenly, eyes tightly closed as he enjoyed the words and the slow penetrations that interrupted them. “...we both know...how well th-that mouth of yours works...” You know, he could be really offended right then if he weren't so distracted at how amazing Hermann's voice sounded when it was strained through a filter of pleasure and effort to keep that agonizingly slow pace up. Surely he was hurting his leg or something by now? But if it didn't hurt enough for him to say something, Newt supposed they could just continue. That and he really just needed that quick pace back because wow, Herms had no idea how fucking sexy he was being right then and it still wasn't fair.

“O-oh fuck,” Newt bit his lip as his hips bucked up into his own fingers desperately but the finger themselves remained slow, steady and deliberate and damn it, Hermann! “Gott, you're...an asshole...” he just had to let the other know. “..p-....fuck!” he didn't want to give in and beg, except that he really did. He wanted to beg and plead and moan Herms' name into the night so everybody knew about them, but... that wasn't their game at all, now was it? “ _Please_ , Hermann!” he tried, his hips bucking up again, fingers slowing even more as they moved all the way out before pressing back in because he knew his lab partner would be that asshole who just loved to tease him like that.

“Please, _what_?” Hermann was in his ear almost purring and oh god, that...that was just cruel. His face was impossibly red at that point, and he was whimpering as his free fingers curled into the sheets beside him since he couldn't claw Hermann's back for real. He wanted to lean up and kiss that fucker right on the lips, kiss him hard and take his breath away in hopes he could get him going again, but at the same time he wanted to give the other just what he was demanding. He wanted to be that kind of slutty guy, under him, writhing and begging for more until he got so much more that he couldn't handle it. But...Herms wasn't that kind of dude. He wasn't the kind of guy that would appreciate that kind of thing, and the only thing he wanted was to keep Hermann near him, on top of him, _with_ him, so he could only bring himself to give the other the basics.  
  
“Please _fuck_ me!” was a clear enough point, wasn't it? It was a bit on the loud side, though, he could only hope that hadn't bothered Hermann as he laid there under him. It hadn't seem to though, since he thrust back in roughly, his fingers imitating the action flawlessly. He gasped out in surprise, lips curling into a wide smile. He'd caused a moment of weakness in the other and it was perfect. He didn't pick back up like he'd wanted, though, and the anticipation of more left Newt moaning. Hermann was too good at this. “P-Please,” he swallowed hard trying to wet his throat again from breathing too hard and all that noise he was making. This is why it was always good to have a bottle of water around afterwards. “Hermann, please, oh god, _please._ ” he urged quietly, eyebrows arched up and together as his hips bucked up for attention. The motion pushed his fingers just a bit deeper into him and while it felt nice, sure, it just wasn't enough. “Please fuck me... _hard_. I need to...” Wait, wait, was he laying it on too thick now? Hermann had kinda demanded this, but what if was too much and he changed his mind? Well...it wasn't as bad as he could say, he suppose... “I need to cum, _please_!” he clawed at the sheet as he imagine just how Herms' would feel under his dull, broken off nails and couldn't deny wanting to feel it for real.

“Fuck,” he could practically hear Hermann hiss and could only grin. It was great to hear Herms curse at all, let alone be the one to make him do it. The stuffy old man needed to loosen up more and he was always happy to be the one encouraging him. “Cum for me, Newt.” Hermann whispered in his ear and he shivered. How was he supposed to hold back when he not only gave him an order but also used his nickname like that? It didn't help that it was then that his lover let his hips start moving again, Newt's fingers mimicking the quick, but deep thrusts into himself just as he knew the other would angle them.

Try as he might, he couldn't help the slurred English and German curses that slipped out, body shaking as his limbs clamped down around the other to hold him there, holding the feeling as long as he could as he came. He bit his lip as he shamelessly enjoyed the feeling of his own mess spreading across his stomach as he lay there, toes pressed into the cot to push his hips up, fingers shoved deep into himself.   
  
“My...god...Newt...” he knew those grunts were from his muscles tightening around his lover, but he was happy to know, and feel just how much Hermann was enjoying his body. He laid there for a long drawn-out moment, legs bent up and fingers inside himself until everything started to ache and he was forced to let himself collapse, fingers pulling out easily.   
  
“Oooohoho yeah,” Newton said in an exhausted exhale, that sly grin pulling on to his features as he rolled his wrist, trying to un-tense it from its recent good work. He thought of Hermann laying there with him, quietly panting, face red and body shaking just a bit and smiled a bit softer before he let the image fade away. It was a bit depressing that the guy wasn't actually there with him, sure, but they'd had a good time in his little fantasy, hadn't they, so why should he let that bring him down?

Lazily, he rolled to grab a piece of clothing from the floor to clean himself up with—a sleeve of a shirt he'd toss in the laundry in a few days—before he rolled over to face the wall. He tugged his blanket back up and over himself as he closed his eyes, smile still on his features.

“'Night, Herms. Sleep well, alright?”


	3. Now, boys, just talk it out.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are good colleagues for if you can't talk about your wet dreams about each other with each other? Okay, well, the whole thing is still really really awkward, but that's not the point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took longer to write than necessary, thank you attention span.   
> Anyway. Love you guys, hope you continue to enjoy!

It was just the most basic of human needs, there was no shame in personal release of tension and there was certainly no shame in imagining someone special while doing so.... At least, this was what Hermann was silently trying to convince himself of the next morning as he pushed his spoon into his rice-infused oatmeal rather distractedly. He wasn't hungry in the slightest, but breakfast had become routine whether he sat in the corner of the mess hall, all alone at a table or not. Sitting there and not eating was far less suspicious than not showing up at all, not that anyone paid attention to what he usually did anyway.

It was just the drift, Gottlieb, get a hold of yourself, he scolded, resting his chin in his palm as he stabbed the oatmeal a little more firmly. He was finding it impossible to not think of, though, the vision of Newton squirming and begging him for more were haunting him in the worst possible way. If he hadn't had control of his lesser important bodily functions, he was sure he would have already had to take a moment or two of alone time and he'd barely been awake and out of his barracks for an hour so far. It was almost pathetic. He frowned deeply, eyes closed tightly as he tried once more to forget Newton face as he reached climaxed; tried not to blush as the other's moaning of his name rang in his ear.   
  
“Hermann.” That ridiculous, high pitched voice of his lab partner... It should not be attractive in the slightest. It was grating. That was all. “Dude. _Herms_?” Persistent little...bloody cock tease. His face flushed even darker, stabbing his food again. “You alright there, dude?” he jolted away from the hand on his shoulder then, eyes snapping open as he looked to the intrusive grasp, following the stained white sleeve up to his colleague's rather concerned looking face. How long had he been standing there? How many of those name drops were actually said out loud rather than in his memory?

“What is it?” he hissed, upset at how easily the other was able to surprise him, but his words were far louder, and far more irritated than he'd intended. The volume had startled not only Newton, but also the workers that were at the near-by tables, and even Tendo, who was halfway across the room, turn to look at the two in mild concern. The LOCCENT officer was probably just hoping to prevent a scene if one should crop up.   
  
“Ah...I-I'm sorry, dude, I didn't mean to...ah, upset ya or anything?” Newton tried, glancing around at the guys that were all staring at them now before slowly sitting down across from the mathematician. Hermann sighed, rubbing at his forehead as he pulled his almost shaking hand from the spoon he was still assaulting his oatmeal with.

“No, no. You...you simply...startled me. It's my fault. My apologies. I'm just...” he tried to find words, but the embarrassing fact that he couldn't even look at Newt at the moment pressed more firmly in his mind than the need to articulate. “..Not at one hundred percent this morning.” he said slowly, carefully, trying to excuse his actions with something vague. He wasn't about to let slip even a single hint to Newt about what had happened. Newton seemed to take the excuse in stride, but in some misguided concern or naivety he offered a half smile and spoke.

“It's no problem, Herms. Everyone has their days, right?” Even if Hermann had more than the normal person. “There anything I could help with, maybe? Help you calm down? I mean, we've still got a bit of work to do, and you're always saying how we're no use to anyone if we're distracted, right?” he laughed then as he leaned his elbow on the table, and Hermann just stared at him, eyes slightly narrowed. It was true that he'd said something like that at one point, but it was almost cruel how effortlessly the other could recall a detail like that just to use it against him in this moment. After a moment he gave up, though, sighing softly as he pushed his tray away and grabbed his cane.   
  
“There's a conversation we need to have, actually.” Newt's face dropped and it was tempting to just say he was kidding. “Here isn't the place for it, though.” Holding his moment of determination, though, he unstably got to his feet as stepped away from the table, even if it was more of a small hop on his stronger leg. “If you'd be so kind to either finish that and take care of it, or just dispose of it, I'll meet you in the lab, alright?” he glanced to his colleague just in time to see him nod rather stiffly, but didn't stay much longer after that, hobbling out of the mess hall as quickly as he could manage without running. This conversation was going to be awkward enough, he didn't need the whole cafeteria stopping to listen in on it.

It was only about five minutes after he'd gotten into the labs himself, that Newt bustled in, looking around with an all too worried look on his face, a cup of something shaking in his hands. From his desk, Hermann hazarded a weak smile at just how adorably pathetic he looked, but as the other's eyes fell on him, he let his expression return to the usual.

“I noticed that you, ah, didn't get your tea, so...” Newton trailed off as he brought the cup over and sat it on his desk in front of him. Hermann just watched the other's hands as they shook and struggled to even hold the cup before it was on the surface and he was pulling back. “So, uh, what did you...want to talk about?” he asked as he went and grabbed his desk chair—what was actually more of a stool which he assumed was to compensate for his height—to pull over. He perched on top of it as he grabbed a pen from his pocket, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his spread knees, one foot bouncing anxiously on the stool's horizontal support beam. Before the mathematician could even say anything, the other man was rather incessantly clicking the pen tip out and back in. He was so clearly nervous that Hermann felt fairly bad for getting him worked up. He thought perhaps he should have worded that declaration better. 'We need to talk' and its variations have such a bad connotation, now that he stopped to think about it.

“Newton,” he said softly, reaching his hand out to cup it over the two shaking ones that belonged to his lab partner. He offered him a weak attempt at an encouraging smile, and a gentle pat to his hands, but didn't recoil just yet. “Please, calm down. It's nothing to be nervous about.” Or at least _that_ nervous about... Newt nodded a little but couldn't quit his movement just yet, but Hermann could understand. The other was naturally manic, after all, and after getting him this anxious already, he'd be twitching for a good while yet, calmed or not. “I just needed to ask you something, and it wasn't...ah...appropriate for the mess hall... Or anyone other than just you and I, really...” he was doing a great job of messing this up already, wasn't he?   
  
“O...kay...?” At least Newton looked more confused than nervous now, as he tried to smile, so Hermann took his hand back, folding it with the other on the top of his desk. Newt clicked the pen a few more times, but seemed to silent scold himself for it because he made a face and all but shoved it back into the pocket he'd pulled it out of. “So... what?”

“I'm trying to think of how to word it,” Hermann sighed softly, fingertips tapping on the backs of his hands as he paused. He could just say he'd had a dream...a vivid dream...and ask if Newton had had the same one? Even if it was unlikely... He tilted his head a bit as he stared at the tea the other had brought him, unable to look at him when he spoke next. “Did you...rather, may I ask what you dreamt about last night?”  
  
“Dreamt...last..night...?” Newt seemed to clarify but he sunk down then, just blankly staring at his lab partner. What was he supposed to say? If he told Hermann the truth, he'd obviously get upset, right? He didn't want Newton having sex dreams about him, it was just wrong, right? He could lie, sure, but in his embarrassment at the situation, his blank was completely void of ideas. Improved lies wouldn't come and left him helpless for an answer. The other seemed to take this pause as confusion, though, because he spoke again.

“I--” he started unevenly, clearing his throat as his used his teacup as a handy distraction. He wrapped his fingers around it, taking a moment to warm his fingertips before he tried again. “I only ask because I...” he licked his lips, willing the words to come out. He was usually so much more eloquent than this and it was starting to bother him. “I had a rather vivid dream last night. And my dreams are usually not nearly as... _zealous_ ,” he punctuated his words with a pointed raise of his eyebrows, clearing his throat again. The words seemed to surprise Newt, though, his eyes widened a bit as he sat up a bit straighter.   
  
“As...zealous?” he looked amused at the choice of wording and Hermann shifted in his seat.

“Fervent.” he'd amend after a moment as Newton crossed his arms on his chest and continued staring at him. “Impassioned, even.” he'd add as the other just sat there, not saying anything, the light pink on his cheeks spreading to the tips of his ears. Why didn't he just give him an answer instead of all this?

“Intense?” the shorter injected as he cocked his head to the side. Hermann nodded in agreement if that was the choice of wording the other required to move on from this.

“Very.” he tapped his fingers on the side of his cup. Newton stayed quiet for a minute longer and it was almost unnerving. Well, it was unnerving for Newt to be quiet at all, but it was especially bad in this particular moment.

“What happened that was so intense, man?” his lab partner chuckled, drawing a darker shade to Hermann's cheeks now that he had no escape from explaining himself. All he wanted to know was if Newt had had the same dream or not, but he supposed this was the only way to be sure. He sat up a bit straighter as he prepared to potentially make a fool of himself.   
  
“We were...engaged in a certain activity....” he said carefully, but his words only succeeded in making Newton having to bite back a laugh. Why was it so hard to say that he and his lab partner were having sex in his dream? It wasn't as though it was his fault, after all, he couldn't control what happened in his dreams even if he wanted to. Well, there were studies that suggested that you potentially could, but he wasn't going to think of that right then.   
  
“You mean we had sex, dude?” See? It was easy for Newton to say! Then again, it was probably just part of his natural demeanor to be able to spout that sort of thing off without a thought. He nodded stiffly in agreement as he took a sip of his tea to try and look like he wasn't embarrassed even if the contrary was all too apparent. “Why can't you just say that, man? Sex is a good thing.”

“Yes, but the fact that--”  
  
“It was with me.” Newt finished his sentence before he could, confronting him with a raised eyebrow that made Hermann wonder if he'd offended the other by that sort of subtext. It was nothing against Newton, of course, but they were just colleagues, isn't it odd to have a dream about your colleague?

“That isn't the case, Newton,” he said softly, hoping to avoid the down-trotted look that he could feel starting to form on his lab partner's face. “I didn't mind that it was you, per se,” The subtext there was far worse, he decided, but continue on regardless. “It was simply far more substantial than my usual dream sequences and I wanted to know if, by some small chance, that you may have...had the same dream...” he trailed off, staring in to space as he tried to figure out a better way to phrase his thoughts; to find a better way to explain himself. “I'm just wondering if, perhaps, the drift cause a stronger neural connection than originally anticipated. Manifesting in hypothalamus of all places, I suppose, if we draw a conclusion that the dream is to be taken as a symptom...” he offered a half shrug then, knowing only the theory of what he was talking about but not the exact details.  
  
“Or maybe we're just still connected and when we dream, it mimics the drift. There have been a few theories of that before.” Newton offered, smiling a bit as Hermann glanced to him.   
  
“You never answered the question, Newton.” he said softly, fingers tapping on his cup of tea again. Newt chuckled, anxiously rubbing at the back of his neck as he glanced away.   
  
“Asking me if I had a wet dream of you last night--”  
  
“A _very_ wet dream.”

“V- _Very_?” Newt almost choked on his words as Hermann resigned himself to take another silent sip of his tea, refusing to look back at him just yet. Well, Herms did have one thing right; this conversation was definitely not mess hall safe.   
  
“What happened in yours, Newton?”

“What happened in yours, dude?” the shorter pressed, not wanting to be the first to blurt out the details if they weren't even sure they were the same dream just yet. Surely his dreams were a bit more creative than stuffy ol' Hermann's, right? The mathematician exhaled slowly, steadying his mind once more in preparation as he stared at his tea.   
  
“You were under me. Legs...around my waist, and I was,” he cleared his throat, knowing he couldn't even try to turn back now. He stared off in the open lab space, just to continue to avoid Newt's gaze as he tried not to blush any darker. “I was urging you to...”  
  
“Cum for you?” his lab partner interjected, uncharacteristically soft.

“You were so bloody loud...” Hermann whispered almost too quickly after the other's words, licking his lips as he pulled his hands from his tea and folded them on the desk. 

“Did you...make me beg, or?” Newt tested, knowing he hadn't begged in the dream, but he certainly did while he was enjoying his personal time. Maybe they shared more than a dream?

“Not... _during_ the dream, no...”

“You mean, you did...once you _woke up_?” the shorter's eyes widened as Hermann nodded as best he could in his stiff embarrassment. Newton opened his mouth to say something, but words didn't come as he tried, only a small squeak, head tilting to the side again. They'd really had the same dream... A dream of sex and begging and loud moaning and then they both... Wow, this moment couldn't get any more awkward, could it? Both of their faces were lit up like Christmas trees as they sat in their silence, both unable too look at one another.   
  
“Everyone alright in here? Heard Hermann wasn't feeling great in the mess...hall...” Tendo was leaning his head into the lab from the doors, eyebrow raised at the way the two were just sitting there. Hermann's head dropped, covering his eyes with his free hand as the heat in his cheeks only rose. Newt took the initiative and looked over to Tendo, almost as if praising him for his timing. What better way to break that moment, right?   
  
“Aha, hey Tendo. 'Sup, brother?” he rubbed at the back of his neck as he turned to face the other. “Herms just didn't get enough sleep last night, that's all. He'll be back to his usually cranky self in no time, alright?”

“Th-thank you for your concern, Mr. Choi, but I'm...I'm q-quite alright.” Hermann had gathered himself enough to lift his head from his hand, offering a short, weak smile before returning to his previous position. He was torn on whether he actually wanted Tendo to leave or not. On one hand, a third party to this moment was dreadfully embarrassing, but on the other, if he did, in fact, vacate, then he'd be forced to be alone with Newton's once more, and he wasn't sure he'd be able to do that just yet.

“Alright, well...” Tendo started backing out of the door with a hesitant half-smile for Newton since Hermann wasn't looking at him anymore. “I'll, ah...come back and check on you _later_ , alright? See if you're in a better spot.” He winked at Newt, but the other just offered a slight shrug and a weary thumbs-up. He knew what Tendo had just silent communicated, but he was far from sure anything was about to happen with Herms.  
  
The silence between the scientists returned quickly once Tendo had gone, neither one of them knowing whether to speak or not, or even what they'd say if they did. They'd shared a dream of that caliber, and even the fit of masturbation after that... Newt made the first noise, a short, chopped laugh as he rubbed at the side of his face, just trying to take it all in.

“Well, this is awkward, huh?”

"Quite."


	4. It's the Talking That's the Problem, Dude.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tendo's the best wing man, no one can dispute that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, it was only supposed to be four chapters but this one got pretty far away from my plan as I was writing it, so I'm sorry!  
> I'm still writing right now to get the final, wrap up chapter out today as well, so please bare with me!  
> Feel free to think of this as a free bonus chapter from me to you for Christmas! ...or something...

“Well, uh, I have that work..to do...” Newton cleared his throat as he slid off his chair. Hermann sat up a bit straighter and nodded almost too eagerly, thankful for the change of subject. There was more to discuss, that was painfully obviously, but neither of them were in a position to talk about it anymore right then. That may be the one of the first things they could agree on.  
  
“Y-Yes. As do I.” the mathematician said as he reached out to an uneven stack of manilla folders in a basket on his desk, each stuffed with papers. He grabbed the top one as his free hand scooped his glasses up from their place dangling in front of his chest and slid them on. Newt made his way back over to his work station with his chair, silently wondering where all this was going to end up and if Herms was thinking about it at all anymore or not. He did kinda seem like the type of guy that would immediately push away anything thought he didn't want to dwell on, but at the same time, he seemed like the type that would let the thought fester and fester silently in his mind until he figured out how to deal with it, or just snapped. He guess he'd have to find out which he really was later, just hoping it wasn't the snappy kind of reaction because wow that'd be pretty awful.

They were in silence for the next hour and a half, apart from Newton's iPod dock playing a selection. They were just doing their own things as they too pointedly avoided each other. Well, Hermann pointedly ignored Newt, anyway. Newt's eyes kept looking back to Herms whenever he could spare, anxiously waiting for more conversation or a reaction or something; anything. It was right around that point the Tendo reappeared, knocking on the lab doors before poking his head in this time. When he saw that the two were no where near each other and it was eerily quiet, though, he raised an eyebrow. He made sure the lab doors were closed behind himself after he slipped inside, heading straight over to Newton's desk to drop a small, white paper bag onto it.  
  
“Thought you could use something to munch on, my man,” he offered in explanation, quietly in order to mask their conversation in Newt's music as he leaned one elbow on the tall desk and stuck his free hand in his pocket. He was looking at Newton, but his body mostly faced Hermann as he spoke again. “So what's the story here, dude? It's pretty thick in here, and I don't mean in any sort of fun way.”  
  
“Jeez, have you got that right,” Newt laughed as he slid the blue smeared rubber gloves off his fingers and tossed them into the near-by trashcan. He kicked the volume on his iPod dock up a few notches just to be sure they weren't over heard as he leaned forward and scooped up the bag of food stuff that turned out to be blueberry bagels. “You kinda interrupted a weird moment earlier.” he said, but when Tendo shifted to face him completely, mouth opening to undoubtedly apologize, he quickly continued. “No, no. It wasn't weird _because_ you interrupted, dude, don't worry. It was weird before. And you kinda were perfectly timed, really. We'd just gotten to the weird awkward silence of the whole thing, and when you left we kinda just fell back in to it.”

“You mean you guys haven't talked at _all_ in the past _hour?_ ” Newton shook his head as he took a far too large bite off the bagel. Tendo's eyes widened a bit as an eyebrow raised. “Not even to _argue_?”  
  
“Dude, if we were arguing, it'd be welcome.” he said around his food, words almost too muffled, before roughly swallowing. “ _That's_ normal. I _want_ that kind of normal. The conversation was weird, and the silence is weirder. Been seriously tempted to start tossing kaiju bits at him just to get him mad at me again...” Newt paused, then laughed at his own words. “Think that'd work, man? I've got some extra bits--”

“You're hopeless, brother.” Tendo chuckled with the other man then, shaking his head before glancing over to Hermann, noting how the mathematician had put ear phones in, presumably to block out the louder music from Newt's end. “Probably end up with him being actually mad at you.”

“What do you mean _actually_ mad at me? He's _usually_ mad at me. It's his normal state of being.” the scientist took another bit of his bagel as Tendo looked back at him, now with a quite incredulous look on his features. “...What?”

“You're joking, right?” the LOCCENT officer snorted a laugh as the confuse little look that crossed his friend's face. He crossed his arms as he turned to face Hermann partially again, hip leaning against Newt's desk. “That guy's never been mad at you. That's a little show he puts on. Loves to disagree with you, that's for sure, but he's probably only been genuinely mad at you, like, once or twice. And from way I hear it, you deserved it those couple-a times, my man.” Newton stared at him for a moment long, then glanced to Hermann, a look akin to a hopeful puppy on his face then. “Any rate, dude, you gonna tell me what you two were talking about earlier?”

“Think you could help if I did? I mean, I'm not so sure he wants that kind of thing getting out...”

“Look here, brother. My lips are sealed tight. Ain't my business to spread around, after all. I'm just asking as a friend. And maybe I can even get you and him back to talking again.” The scientist took a moment to think it over, still hesitating because he knew Hermann wouldn't be all that anxious for anyone else to know. But... Tendo was his friend, and a really nice, chill kind of guy, so what could it hurt, right?

“...Ok,” he said, shift his weight to his other foot as he gestured to Herms with one hand, explaining a little quicker than necessary. “Well, you see. Last night, apparently, we both ended up having this really intense wet dream about each other and you know, normally I wouldn't think anything of it, I mean, I've had wet dreams about everyone at least once, you know? A few more about Herms, but that's not the point. Anyway, he brings us back here and we talk about it, and it was exactly the same, you know? Even after we woke up, man. You're a smart guy, dude, I'm sure I don't have to spell that part out for you but we were both imagining the same scenario and doing the actions and stuff and I just... well, I didn't think Herms was that kind of guy, really, but...y-yeah so that's what happened and we'd just got passed the 'we jacked it at the same time' bit when you came in the last time.” he leaned his palms on the edge of his desk, offering the other a weak smile, wondering if he'd managed to catch all that, or understand because wow Tendo was just staring at him now with a strange little look on his face that he couldn't read. Choi cleared his throat with a a bit of a laugh, tilting his head as he looked at his friend.  
  
“You take your meds this morning, my man, or does this whole thing really have you that worked up?” he chuckled a bit more as Newt seemed to pause to try to remember if he had actually taken his meds or not. “Better look into that, then, but ah,” he scooped a hand up over his head, flattening on side of his hair as he usually did out of habit. “I'm no guru on the whole feelings jib here, I will admit, but I do know from hear-say that this sometimes happens after a shared drift. Now, I'm not saying that it _is_ the drift's fault, but it _could_ be. It could be you, or him, or maybe even the both of you and the drift just brought you two up close and personal for the first real time and this is how your brains both reacted. But either way, feelings like that don't just pop up out of no where, brother. Someone was feeling something and that's kinda something you both have to get down to the bottom of, you know? You boys just gotta talk it out now.”

“It's the talking that's the problem, dude.” Newton bent mostly in half to put his fore on the surface of his desk with a groan of annoyance that only made Tendo feel like laughing again. He was glad he didn't have to be in Newt's place, he really was. It was quite the tricky situation whenever you had to deal with the feelings of someone like Hermann Gottlieb.

“Then I guess you better find a way that doesn't involve talking.” he said, drawing Newt to perk back up. He winked at him before taking a step back. “I'm gonna go check on Gottlieb, alright? Enjoy that other bagel.” he gestured to the bag on the desk between them before making his way to Hermann's desk. After pulling up a spare chair, he sat, gesturing a bit to get the mathematician's attention.

“Something I can help you with, Mr. Choi?” Hermann sat back in his chair as he pulled his earphones out one-by-one. Tendo offered the man a half smile.

“Just checking in. That whole scene in the mess hall this morning had Herc and I a bit worried, you know? Both seen too many bad cases happen to good people, so I promised to come down and check to make sure it wasn't a bad reaction to you and Newt's drifting. I'd like to keep that promise, if you wouldn't mind too bad?” Hermann seemed to look him up and down for any hint that he was lying before making a soft noise and pulling his glasses off.  
  
“I do insist that I'm quite alright, but if it would help sate your concern...” he raised an eyebrow, sparing a glance over at Newt just in time to catch him looking in their direction. Tendo leaned forward a bit.  
  
“Don't mind him. He's just a little extra twitchy today. Could you lean forward a bit, I'd like to check your eyes.” he said politely enough, but the fact that he'd been caught looking over there at all made Hermann blush lightly. He nodded, though and did as he was asked, resting one arm on his desk for stabilization as the LOCCENT officer gently pulled down one of his eye lids and looked closely.  
  
“I'm afraid his increased jitters this afternoon are my fault. I hadn't meant for him to get worked up but his reactions are so unpredictable...” he rolled his eyes before he recalled just what the other was leaning so close to him for. Tendo just chuckled and moved to look at the other eye.

“Jitters from a conversation just show that he's really behind what's he saying, doesn't it?” he leaned every which way to examine that eye as well before he pulled back. “Still a bit hemorrhaged but they're clearing fast enough. Have any bloody noses?”

“Or it could just mean he's nervous about what I'm saying, couldn't it? And no. No nosebleeds since the night we drifted. They were sparse for only a few hours before stopping all together.” Tendo nodded a bit and offered a shrug as he sat back in his chair a bit, though he let his elbow rest on Hermann's desk.  
  
“He have anything to be nervous about in your conversation?”  
  
“In my opinion, he didn't, no.” Hermann folded his hand in his lap, chancing a glance to the other scientist before looking back to Tendo who just smiled.  
  
“Then why should he be jittery over that?” he asked just to see the stumped little look on Gottlieb's face. “He shouldn't. My point exactly. Anyway. You have any other side-effects that you know of? Any bad headaches, dizziness, memory loss, body aches—that are different from your usual ones, I mean—or strange, out of body feelings at any point throughout the day?” he tilted his head as his conversational partner paused to think about the questions a moment before shaking his head.  
  
“I don't recall any of those things occurring, no.” Tendo smirked a bit.

“Any strange dreams? About the drift sequences, or kaiju?” Hermann shook his head again, but looked as though he was pointedly staying quiet. Choi narrowed his eyes a bit. “About Newt?” he asked softer, just barely jerking his head back toward Newton in emphasis. Obviously he didn't need to ask, but it was worth it to see the other's face shift shades. The mathematician turned back to his desk a bit, clearing his throat.

“I just assumed that was because of the neural handshake.” he shook his head as he shrug, trying to seem disconnected from the whole ordeal but in the motions, it made it even more clear that he wasn't.

“You know...” Tendo leaned forward a bit, a knowing smile on his features. “If you read into psychology, they say that if you have sex with someone in a dream, that it's your subconscious saying that you'd like to be closer to them.” With that, he stood up, knocking his knuckles on the top of the other's desk a couple times. “Just something to think about.” Raising the volume of his voice he continued.

“Come find Herc or me if you start noticing any bad symptoms, alright? We'll get you taken care of before it gets too bad.” he turned on his heel and headed back over to Newt, arm extended for a parting fist bump. “That goes for you too, alright, brother? You stay out of trouble,” he made sure to tell his friend as their fists connected, winking at him again before he turned and headed out of the labs. With the other gone, they were cast back into their unfortunate silence, although both of their minds now reeling over the seeds Tendo had planted.


	5. I'm Going to do an Experiment. For Science.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt puts plans into actions, and ends up with an outcome that he wasn't expecting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the plan had this ending very different but as I typed it turned into something else entirely.  
> I liked this one better. Hope you do too!  
> Thanks for sticking it out! Hope you have a great Christmas!(or whichever holiday you're enjoying this season!)

“'Just gotta talk it out', he says.” Newton almost whines as he unlocks the wannabe vault door to his private room, jolting the round handle to the left in order to push it open. “I say, 'that's the hard part, dude! We aren't talking!',” he grumbled as he kicked it closed behind him, though it was heavy enough to slow down and deprive him of the loud slam that he wanted. He frowned at it, giving it a little push to make sure it was all the way closed before he turned back to his room.

“'Guess you better find a way that doesn't involve talking then, huh?' That's way easier said than done, man,” he shrugged his jacket off his shoulder and tossed it to the little desk that had come standard in the rooms. It was already covered in stuff, though, so the leather garment just added to the mess. “Like, what does that even mean?” was his next whine as he plopped down onto the edge of his bed before collapsing back onto it. It was barely a second of staring at his ceiling before he was abruptly sitting up again, a bright smile on his face from his brilliant new idea.

“Let's just hope that this doesn't turn into a game of 'lets see how pissed Herms gets',” he laughed as hopped back up onto his feet, going and digging his cell phone out of his jacket pocket as he kicked his boots off. He scrolled through his contacts as he loosened his tie and pulled it up, over his head. As he selected Hermann's name in the list, he moved back to his bed, his free hand popping two of his shirt buttons open.

 _'you're still awake, right?'_ he sent his lab partner a text as he laid back down and sprawled out on his cot. He planned out every detail of what he'd do if he got a text back from the other who had gone to his room at least and hour before Newt had. He knew that Hermann rarely went straight to sleep but it had been quite a day, after all.

When the text alert noise buzzed his phone around on his make-shift side table, Hermann glanced up from his paperback book of sudoku puzzles, eyebrow raised. The only one who usually sent him texts was his wife, and with a glanced at his watch, for once he hoped that it wasn't her. She'd likely just be getting off work, but she knew the timezone differences and usually didn't text him when it was so late there in Hong Kong. Setting his pen in the crease of the book, he closed it, reaching over to grab his phone as he did his best to not jostle the knee he had carefully propped up a stack of his extra pillows. Making a soft, mildly bothered noise at Newton's name on the main display as he sat back into his spot, he tried not to feel anxious about what Newt could possibly want just then. He swiped his thumb across the screen to unlock it, raising an eyebrow at it again. It was just that question? With a soft huff, he typed out a quick response before letting the phone just fall out of his hand onto his lap.

 _'Yes?_ '

Having expected the response, Newt had kept hold of his phone but, to his amusement, was still startled by the actual vibrations when they came through. He smiled at the device as he brought the message up to read and type out his reply.  
  
 _'awesome. i'm gonna do an experiment. for science. you should tell me if it works, k?'_

Luckily for his composure, Hermann had the forethought to move th phone off his lap, to the bed beside his thigh before it went off again. Newt was going to...experiment? With what? Whatever it was, though, he'd clearly already set his mind to it, so there wasn't much point in arguing the point. Hermann's eyes shifted back to his number puzzle as his thumb idly sent his response, not even needing to watch his actions. They were routine enough by this point.

 _'If you must...'_ was all the permission that Newton needed, his eyes lighting up like a mischievous child. He rested his phone on his chest then, as he laid in bed, pulling his shirt out from under the top of his pants where he'd tucked it far earlier that day. As he unbuttoned his pants, he made a final decision as to what he was about to be picturing in his head, and the motions he'd have to do for it, in direct comparison to what he knew they'd done together the night before. He licked his lips, trying not to let the sly grin take over as he shoved his pants down, just passed his knees, sticking his dominant hand into his boxers then.

Closing his eyes, then, he let the image unfold as he gave his length a few gentle strokes just to get started with. Tonight would be one of his favorites, just to make sure it was an strong enough feeling of want to reach the other man in the next room. He pictured himself bent over Hermann's desk, his imagination filling in every little detail about the surface he knew, down to the every last scratch near the front edge that Herms had once complained about. The majority of his chest was pressed to the surface, pants around his knees as he glanced over his shoulder at his lab partner behind him. Hermann was running his hands over his hips and down his thighs before he reached for the small bottle of unscented lotion in his desk drawer the he usually used to keep his overly-chalked hands from cracking and peeling. Newt knew at this point, the other would usually stop and prepare him first, because he wasn't cruel. However, in the interest of speeding up his current experiment, he let his thoughts quickly shift to the point where the other was pushing his dick into him, actions mimicked by pushing two fingers into himself.

“A-ahaaaa, H-Herms,” Newt moaned softly, eyebrow arching together in pleasure as he nibbled his lip, enjoying the stretching that came with the un-prepped fingertips.

In the other room, while staring at his current, half filled sudoku puzzle, Hermann's mind was first flooded with images of his desk, and then Newton on top of it. Worse yet came his own hands roaming over all the skin he could reach before he was literally balls deep in the man again. The mathematician's eyes widened as he covered his mouth, his other hand pushing on the wool blanket that covered his lap. He made a soft scolding noise at the hard on, that he wasn't going to be able to control even if he'd wanted to, in a futile attempt to stop his body's reactions. Where were these thoughts coming from? In his mind, he could hear Newton moaning for him, calling him that ridiculous nickname and wearing that already so perfectly blissed out expression... And then it clicked and his expression dropped and he scrambled to grab his phone. This was Newt's experiment. He was doing this. Right now, in the next room. Did that mean he was touching himself right then, or—no, that didn't matter!

 _'You little bloody cretin!'_ he angrily hit send on the message before putting his hands on the blanket and pushing, remaining as determined as he could to not give into lab partner's actions. After a second though, he scooped the device back into one of his hands and sent another in quick succession to the first. _'My desk will be used for no such thing!'_ At least that one gave him an actual answer to whether or not his experiment was working, as a scientist himself, he couldn't let the question remain. After the second had presumably gone through, though, even through the steel wall, he could hear Newton laughing triumphantly which immediately made him regret sending the second text message.

 _'how bout mine then, herms? ;)'_ Newt typed up with his free hand, even though he had to have his phone propped up on his bent knee and tapped at it with his pointer finger. It took him another second, but he thought up the other scenario, the one of Hermann pinning him to his own, kaiju smeared desk but was quick to receive a text response.

 _'Do you WANT me to vomit?!'_ Hermann was covering his mouth, true, but it wasn't from nausea. It was astonishing that Newton could pull this off. Their drift was days ago, the effects having mostly worn off, so Newton would really have to project those kind of thoughts to get them to change so readily. He could come up with such vivid imagery on the drop of a dime, and Hermann would be lying if he said it was anything other than impressive, whether he was actively teasing his sex drive or not.

 _'i hear wall sex can be pretty fun?'_ The images change again to the inside of Newton's room and Hermann took more time to admire the scenery than he did to feel himself pinning his colleague to the wall. A soft, impressed little laugh pushed from the mathematician's nose as he shook his head, sending another text.

 _'I wouldn't be able to do that if I tried. My leg is not that strong. Especially tonight.'_ Another thing that amazed him was how easily they could talk about this through these messages rather than face to face. Then again, he assumed that was how they managed to get along so well in their letters to one another. They never had to deal with face to face interaction. He was actually smiling by the time the next message came through.

 _'well, you wanna try coming up with something you can do with your leg how it is?'_ Newt sent off, wondering if Hermann's idea would be tame or manage to surprise him, even as he curled his fingertips in himself and played just to keep himself warm. He wondered too, then, if that was going to affect Herms as well or was it just when he was pointedly imagining the other?

 _'Are you sure?'_ was Gottlieb's way of asking for consent, even though he knew that he more that likely already had it. Expressed permission is always the better option. And, well, as far as he knew, he was probably going to surprise the other with what his imagination could come up with when he actually tried.

 _'hell yeah, man. lay it on me.'_ Newt grinned at the device, loving how playful this whole thing really was. It was so weird to be doing this kinda thing with Hermann, of all people, but they could both blame it on the drift, at least. In truth, though, they were connected before the drift—proven by the fact that they were compatible at all—they had just never done anything that proved it. For some reason.

 _'If you say so.'_ came through and it only took a moment longer before the scene changed. They were in Hermann's barracks then—it was far cleaner of course—with Herms laying out on his cot and Newton straddling his hips. At first, it seemed like neither had anything on, but Newt blushed brightly when realized that wasn't true at all. Hermann was naked, yeah, but he wasn't. He was wearing a collar, a black leather one with chains the met in the middle and dangled a small bell around his collarbone, and, with his hands behind his back, he could feel the cold metal of handcuffs, one side perfect and the other just a little too tight. He swallowed hard, now realizing he'd never stood a chance.

“...oh yes, _sir_.” he said, out loud, in a mix of surprise, and much more pleasure. In the other room, a grin spread across Hermann's face.

“Good boy.”


End file.
